The Issue
Crop protection chemicals - fungicides, herbicides and insecticides - are an essential part of modern agriculture. They contribute to dramatic increases in yields, and bring other benefits to humans and the environment. But certain formulations and the way they are used have also brought public concern about their potential impact on the environment and health.

Syngenta Position
Crop protection products are essential to maintain and increase crop yields. High productivity is particularly important because the same area of land now used by agriculture must continue to provide enough food for a rapidly-growing population and a doubling of calorie demand (see graph).

We strive to create products with the lowest possible risks to the environment, users and consumers. Active substances are rigorously tested before being approved by government authorities for use. We continually update safety information on our products in line with the latest science and government regulations.

As part of our core research and development programs, we focus on methods that target pests and diseases more precisely, require lower dosages, leave less residue on crops and are as safe as possible for people and the environment.

We are committed to responsible product stewardship. We help train farmers worldwide in the targeted and scientific use of crop protection chemicals. We have also pioneered the use of standardized pictograms to help people with limited literacy understand how pesticides should be prepared and used. See Product Stewardship.

Crop protection chemicals and the environment
Advances in science continually improve the understanding of how chemicals behave in the environment. The regulatory framework for crop protection products ensures high safety standards. Registration of these products is controlled, authorized and closely monitored by national or regional authorities, such as the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and authorities from Member States of the European Union.

Environmental care does not end with registration. Syngenta makes a substantial investment in continual monitoring of its products to further understand their behavior, improve their effectiveness and help minimize their environmental impact.

For example, in 2002, atrazine, a selective herbicide particularly important to corn growers in the US, was the subject of public and scientific debate. This has centered on the behavior of the compound in groundwater and its potential impact on amphibians. To monitor the use and effects of the product, Syngenta has developed comprehensive water-monitoring programs, water-quality databases and watershed-management programs.

The Company has funded a multi-disciplinary panel of scientists to conduct independent research and examine potential effects of atrazine on fish, amphibians and reptiles. Syngenta also supports independent studies at several universities to fully investigate the potential effects of atrazine on a variety of amphibian species and is working closely with the US EPA.

There are also concerns about stocks of obsolete crop-protection products in developing countries, which can pose disposal problems. Syngenta has been working with the industry association CropLife International to deal with these stocks and help prevent their accumulation in the future.